


Stay

by Peril_in_Peace



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Gen, Sibling Relationship, missing scene/epilogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 10:39:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18618961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peril_in_Peace/pseuds/Peril_in_Peace
Summary: She finds the M-ship at the edge of the rubble, a silhouette through the sludgy gray of the air. And if she wants off this planet, it seems this ship is the only option left.ENDGAME SPOILERS





	Stay

She finds the M-ship at the edge of the rubble, a silhouette through the sludgy gray of the air as the dust, as what was left of--

As it _all_ … every remnant of her fa-- of _his_ grand plan had disintegrated, slowly settling to the terran surface. And if she wants off this planet, it seems this ship is the only option left.

It is in passable shape. There is damage; the viewers cracked and scratched, the ostentatious orange hull dinged and dented… but it looks space worthy enough. As long as it powers up, it would serve her purposes. She finds a hatch and makes her way inside.

There is power, at least. Screens and consoles are dimly lit, and she quickly moves toward the cockpit to run a flight check, passing the cluttered table in the middle of the crew deck. She brushes something with her hip, but doesn’t turn until she hears metal clatter to the deck.

For too many long seconds, she stands still, staring down at the floor.

At the handle of her own sword peeking out of a folded cloth.

Her fingers brush Godslayer, holstered on her right hip, just to make sure it’s still there, before she reaches down to pick up the fallen bundle.  

 _“Do you want me to tell you?”_ Nebula had said. _“What he_ did _to you?”_

She sucks in a breath, and grips the bundle tightly. There’s a swell of anger rising out of her gut and wrapping around her heart, tightening in her chest and she wishes… oh, she wishes she could have felt the sensation, known what it was like to bury this sword into her father right to the hilt.

She can feel the blade digging into her palm, now. And she doesn’t know… even now, she doesn’t know if she could have done it. And she hates him all the more for that.

She wonders… if her other self, her older self, was any stronger than she was. If maybe… she could have that to look forward to.

She knows now that this must be _their_ ship, then. Part of her wants to know. Wants to _see_ what she… what the other her… had. But--

The bundle suddenly feels heavy in her hand, and she gingerly unwraps it, swings it out with her left hand to extend the blade. It feels like hers. She holds it up to her face, tracing the blade, the whorls of polish worn from years of care. Just like hers.

And it’s a shirt left in her right hand, something soft and clean and warm. Someone here cared to keep it safe for her, even though she wasn’t coming back.

Because of what _he did to her_.

She retracts the sword and places the shirt on the table, wrapping it around the other her’s sword carefully. She leaves it in the middle of the table.

For a moment, she thinks, _this could be home_ . But it is a fleeting, laughable notion. She shakes her head, but does reconsider the ship (she _can’t be here!_ ). But it has a pod. That would at least get her as far as--

“You disappeared.”

She smiles a little, but doesn’t feel a need to turn. “How did you find me?”

“I told you. We became friends. Sisters. I know you better than you think,” Nebula says, moving slowly onto the crew deck.

Gamora shakes her head, glancing over her shoulder. She thinks she should say something, but the words just don’t come.

Nebula is within arm’s reach now, and Gamora at least turns to face her. She owes her that.

“You asked me to stay, once,” Nebula says. Of all impossible things that could ever happen, Nebula’s lip curls into what almost looks like a sincere smile. “I tried to kill you. And you said you loved me and you asked me to stay.”

Before she can push the feeling down, Gamora’s face burns. She swallows hard.

“Did you?”

Nebula shakes her head. “No.”

Gamora nods. She pauses and takes a deep breath. She turns aft, toward the pod.

When she feels the hand around her arm, Gamora’s first instinct is to fight. She spins, ready to lash out--

But a metal hand brushes her back, and pulls her into a tight embrace.

“You will always be my sister,” Nebula whispers into the crook of her neck.

And then she’s gone. And the sudden wave of warmth all around Gamora for one rare moment fades, and all that’s left is the sound of Nebula’s heavy footfalls on the ramp.

She could stay.

_She can’t stay._

Maybe someday.

She turns aft and makes her way to the pod.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! :D


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